At approximately 52,200 miles on my PC800, I decided it was time for new tires. I put two brand new Metzeler tires on the bike but found as I put everything back together that the calipers on the front wheel were sticking. one thing led to another and before I had ridden another 100 miles, I installed braided steel brake lines made up by
Fluid Connector Products Inc in Salem. The lines cost about $125 to have built up plus my time and gas money driving up and back. I also replaced all 15 of the crush washers at about $2/each. While I was at it, I rebuilt the master cylinder and calipers. I also rebuilt the clutch slave and master cylinders. In the end, this project cost me about $300 for tires and mounting and $300 for the brake and clutch hydraulic system rebuild. The bike feels amazingly responsive now so I would hazard to say that the expense was totally worth it. Eating Top Ramen the rest of the summer is a small price to pay for safety and performance. In the picture above you can see the old hoses I took off the bike.
I removed a lot of plastic to safely take off and re-install the hydraulic lines.
The new lines taped together with the old lines. I got the two lines that run to the controls lengthened by an inch to compensate for my GenMar bar risers. It ended up being a good decision.
The banjo fittings on the braided stainless steel lines aren’t quite the same as the old ones but they worked well enough. I wrapped the braided stainless steel lines in electrical tape to help avoid damage. Next time I have the bike apart, I am going to put some rubber cushions on the places where the lines can rub metal.
The line to the clutch slave cylinder installed.
I used a thick towel to keep my plastics fresh and preserved. Not a single drop of DOT4 fluid (as far as I can tell), landed anywhere to cause damage.
Lines installed on front wheel.
Bleeding the lines took some work but they’re rock-solid now. For those wondering, this upgrade is TOTALLY worth the money. You will thank yourself when you get it done. And doing it yourself is actually very easy. I was surprised at how painless the whole operation was from start to finish.
